Whale Watching

Spring 2020 Whale Watch Week Update (3/16/2020): No volunteers will be stationed for the spring Whale Watch Week, set March 21-29, to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The Depoe Bay Whale Watching Center is also CLOSED. Oregon State Parks made this decision to protect the health and safety of our volunteers and visitors.

People come from all over the world to learn about the Gray whales that travel along the Oregon coast each year. Whales are visible from Oregon's shores all year long although some months are better than others.

In the Winter we watch nearly 25,000 gray whales from mid-December through mid-January as they travel south to the warm lagoons of Baja Mexico.

Spring watching begins in late March as the gray whales travel north on their way towards Alaska. The first surge swims past Oregon around the end of March, and we watch the north-bound whales all the way until June.

Summer and Fall bring Oregon's resident Gray whales close to shore to feed. These are the approximately 200 whales that remain in Oregon's coastal waters during the summer migration. The central coast in particular is a hot-spot for whales from June to mid-November.

Year-round park staff are ready to answer your questions and help you spot Gray whales at the Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay. Perched on the seawall, the center provides expansive ocean views and educational displays about whales and marine life. The Whale Watching Center is currently CLOSED.

Explore on your own: Use the map below to find a great place to look for these amazing ocean giants. Download our whale watching brochure to learn out about whale swimming patterns and habits, such as breaching, spyhopping and diving.

Whale Watch Week

Oregon State Parks celebrates the migration twice per year during Whale Watch Weeks in late December and late March. The Whale Watching Spoken Here® program places volunteers at 24 whale watching sites, ready to help visitors see and learn about migrating and resident Gray whales.

Would you like to be a Whale Watch Spoken Here® volunteer?

Last year, volunteers spoke with over 52,000 visitors from around the globe. Volunteers also count whales spotted and number of visitors at the 24 designated sites during each Whale Watch Week.